Adhesive articles typically include release liners covering an adhesive layer for protecting the adhesive layer from contamination from dirt, moisture, or the like, prior to the adhesive articles being applied to a substrate. Typical release liners are paper or polymeric structures that have no practical use once they are removed from the adhesive article. Typically, such release liners are simply discarded in the trash and end up in landfills, thereby causing strain on the environment.
Ordinarily, release liners utilize silicone-containing and fluorine-containing materials as a release agent. The silicone-containing or fluorine-containing component of the release liner contacts the adhesive layer and allows the release liner to separate easily from the adhesive layer when the adhesive article is needed for use. The silicone-containing or fluorine-containing material does not strongly adhere to the adhesive and thus provides a releasable interface with the underlying adhesive, while providing protection from contamination.
Adhesive articles that do not include a release liner covering the adhesive layer are known, and are herein referred to as “linerless” adhesive articles. Typically, a linerless adhesive article includes an adhesive layer on a first side of a facestock and a silicone-containing and fluorine-containing material on a second side of the facestock. The adhesive article is rolled upon itself, or stacked on other similar articles, such that the adhesive layer contacts the silicone-containing or fluorine-containing material on the second side of the facestock. In these configurations, the facestock including the silicone-containing or fluorine-containing material acts as the release liner for the adhesive layer.
Problems associated with typical release liners or facestock coated with silicone-containing and fluorine-containing material are that they are not recyclable due to silicon and fluorine contamination. Such material is only suitable for the landfill and contributes significantly to environmental concerns. Furthermore, occasional transfer of material containing a silicon or fluorine component to the substrate can interfere with proper adhesion, can cause printing problems for adhesive labels, or can result in other similar difficulties.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved linerless adhesive article and related methods that does not incorporate a release liner and do not incorporate silicone-containing and fluorine-containing material.